The Rockfabrik Effects Aqua Lung is a transparent overdrive and clean boost pedal, a teal box that sits somewhere between a light drive and a volume push. RockBoard's PedalPedia describes it as a transparent overdrive with special features such as low cut and high cut switches, and notes that it is also overly suitable for clean boost1. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio listed it as a "Transparent OD/Clean Boost" when he covered it in 20172.
What it does to your sound
As a transparent overdrive, the Aqua Lung is built to add drive without stamping its own character on the guitar. Rockfabrik specifies high quality metal film resistors "for the most transparent and natural sound"2. Pedal of the Day's reviewer found it "Fairly transparent as well, this teal box fits in well in any style of music, and can do everything from a gorgeous clean boost to a chunky and warm, mid-gain drive sound"3.
The two toggle switches are what set it apart from a plain overdrive. Both are described the same way by the maker and by reviewers3:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Low cut switch | Clips under 750 Hz to provide an option between bodied and juicy sound1 |
| High cut switch | Clips upper frequencies to defeat harsh sound for humbuckers; also provides a burst sound for single coil pickups without cut, specially designed for the neck pickup of a Strat1 |
| Level, Tone, Gain knobs | Dial in the volume, EQ and amount of dirt3 |
The switches also open up a second use for the pedal. Delicious Audio notes that it "can be used as mid boost by cutting low and high frequencies with switches"2, so with both cuts engaged the pedal pushes the mids forward instead of the whole signal. That makes it a flexible first or second stage drive on a board: clean boost with nothing cut, mid boost with both switches on, or a shaped overdrive with the Gain knob doing the work.
Pedal of the Day summed it up: "A great first or second-stage drive, this guy will not let you down, and will help to expand your mind and creativity on" the guitar3.
Power
The Aqua Lung runs on 9V DC center negative and draws 50mA1. It can also work with an 18V power supply for more headroom, and RockBoard's PedalPedia says an 18V supply "enlarges range around break up point of tone"1, meaning you get more room between clean and broken up before the pedal saturates.
At 50mA the Aqua Lung draws more current than many compact overdrives, so check what your power supply's outputs can deliver before adding it to a daisy chain. The 18V option needs a supply that can provide 18V on a center negative connection.
Where it sits on a board
Players comparing transparent drives and boosts can see how the Aqua Lung's approach fits alongside other options in the overdrive and boost categories. Its low cut and high cut toggles give it a shaping role that most simple boosts do not offer, while the Gain knob carries the drive duties123.
Videos
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Brett Kingman
Brett Kingman
Questions
What does the low cut switch on the Aqua Lung do?
The low cut switch clips frequencies under 750 Hz. Rockfabrik describes it as giving the player an option between a bodied and a juicy sound, so you can thin out the low end when the pedal is pushing an amp or when you want a tighter, more focused drive tone.
Can the Rockfabrik Aqua Lung run at 18V?
Yes. The pedal runs on 9V DC center negative as standard, and Rockfabrik states it can also work with an 18V power supply for more headroom. According to the maker, 18V operation enlarges the range around the break up point of the tone, giving you more room to shape where the drive starts to break up.
Can the Aqua Lung work as a mid boost?
Yes. Delicious Audio notes that the pedal can be used as a mid boost by cutting low and high frequencies with its two toggle switches. With the low cut and high cut switches engaged, the mids are left standing while the lows and highs are trimmed away.
Is the Rockfabrik Aqua Lung analog?
Yes. RockBoard's PedalPedia lists the Aqua Lung's circuit type as analog, so it is a straightforward analog overdrive and boost pedal with no digital processing in the signal path.
Sources (3)
- Aqua Lung by Rockfabrik Effects, RockBoard PedalPedia (rockboard.de), 2026
- Rock Fabrik Effects AQUA LUNG Transparent OD/Clean Boost, Delicious Audio, 2017-12-20
- Rockfabrik Effects Aqua Lung Overdrive, Pedal of the Day, 2017-10-02
